Originally posted by macarthu
I don't understand why anyone is upset about the push dagger. An individual or company is free to place whatever price tag they want on whatever product they create. And if the market won't bear that price, the product will fail or the price will come down. It's a beautiful thing. If you don't want to pay $180, or more likely $100, for it, don't buy it. On the other hand, an Ascent (Pika) for $30 sounds pretty good compared to the one I bought for $65 a year ago. I'm glad Benchmade is doing this, good for survival and success. Good for them.
I have no problem with the red line - none of it appeals to me that much so far, but I think its rather cool of them - although I would rather get a CRKT for an entry level knife, they appeal to me a bit more, have more "pop" to them, and dont leave a weird taste in my mouth like Benchmade does.
My problem with the push dagger is this - yes an individual company is free to do whatever they like, indeed - but by doing so Benchmade has displayed their colours for all to see.
$180 for a piece of 440? Thats arrogance in the extreme.
Restricting the sales? Thats either severe nievete, foolishness (not qualities I look for in a company making a tool I may need to save my life), or (and I feel this is more likely the case) a marketing ploy that makes nothing but a mockery of concern for the safety of our men and women in uniform, be it a Police uniform or a Military uniform. Such a marketing ploy makes people go "Ohh look, restricted - gotta get me one of them" and go after their credit card. So, its using hype and sensationalism, at the expense of our Police and Military personell, to sell an over-priced product. If this was Lynn Thompson doing this everyone would be up in arms about it - but no this is Benchmade, we cant hate Benchmade, they ARE the knife industry, Les is a god!
No, drop the cult bull-**** - Benchmade is just another company, and apparently just another company looking to make a buck. They dont seem to actually listen to their customers needs and wants, they just go with whatever hair brained idea is newest, and then expect people to buy it because its new and cool. Some can, and I can somewhat say, well thats capitalism, good for them I suppose.
But, it all adds up into a sickening display of BS and marketering that also hurts the knife industry - marketing or not, the more companies that send out the message "tactical knives are for police and military only", the more we civilians come under official pressures when we carry tactical/defensive knives. Eventually it is this type of thing that will undermine our abilities to carry any sort of edged weapon. I'm sorry, but I wont support a company that does that - it hurts me, as a knife owner, maker and student of the defensive arts, and IMNSHO, it hurts all of us in the same manner. Thats why I feel the need to speak out against it so strongly.
Originally posted by dano
Some are complaining about a $180 push dagger, but some of those folks probably don't have any problem shelling out $400.00 for a production knife with basic materials and attributes, I.E. Strider.
There is still a great difference between a Strider with ATS-34 or S30V blade steel and a purpose designed hand fitted sheath and a 3 ounce chunk of 440C with an injection molded sheath.
There also seems to be a great difference between the people, and their priorities, behind those two companies.
Not to turn this into a Strider thing, but look at it like this - Striders are simple because, in the real world, simple works - the fancyest, most done up, newest whiz-bang thing is going to break in ten minutes, and the simple, proven, KISS principle made thing wont. Thats what makes a Strider or any similar knife worth money to someone like me if I were to be in a situation where I needed that kind of reliability. There is worth to a Strider beyond what its made out of, or the technical specifics of its construction. The principles, beliefs and understanding of the tools and what they are for, that is behind those knives is what gives them their value. Its not just another huckster out to make a buck.
Those who disagree with me, wont pay $400 for a Strider and thats their g_d given right.
That Benchmade is a nice design, I like the design - but the principles displayed by over-charging for it, and restricting its sale sicken me. Its not a custom, its barely more metal (and not as good a quality metal) than an Emerson La Griffe, yet while a Griffe can be had for $50, they expect at least $100 for this thing? Sorry, I'm not going to fall for it.
I'll buy the Anza push dagger, with better steel (I like files more than 440-C, yes) and actual scales, and put my own kydex sheath on it for a grand total of about $60, or buy a CS push dagger and put my own better sheath on it for about $60 again. Then if I have to kick it into the river some cold rainy night, I wont be out so much and I wont have compromised my ethics and personal beliefs in the first place.
